One of my best baseball memories was one time I waited outside Connie Mack Stadium after a game, something I often did after a Saturday or Sunday afternoon game. The Phillies had just played the Cardinals, and the visiting players would come out to board the team bus, I guess about an hour after the game. We kids would wait around by the bus to see if we could snag an autograph or two. Yeah, the times were different.

Musial was my hero, and I had my eye out for him. I didn't catch him before he got on the bus, but I watched and could see him board and move through the bus. The windows were not darkened like they are today. Musial took a seat by a window. It was closed. I ran up and tapped on the window calling out, "Mr. Musial, Mr. Musial." In my hand I waved a 4 sided megaphone with one side a blank panel just for player autographs. Earlier in the day I had bought that megaphone, filled with popcorn at the time, with just this moment in mind.

Musial looked down through the closed window, opened it, and reached out his hand. I handed him the folded cardboard with a scorecard pencil. Stan the Man signed my popcorn box and handed it back to me with a little wave and a smile.

It was 50 or 51 years ago, but I remember it like it was just the other day.